These days, in order for a late night talk show to successfully win over viewers, the host has to be willing to bring it on a nightly basis. What is “it,” exactly? It all depends on who’s hosting. For example, Jimmy Fallon brings the nice on the “Tonight Show,” while Jimmy Kimmel frequently brings the sass, and Conan O’Brien brings the irreverence.
After leaving his self-absorbed pundit persona behind, what does Stephen Colbert bring to his new gig on the “Late Show”? Simply put, he brings the funny. From the first moments of his tenure as David Letterman’s replacement, which began Sept. 8, Colbert immediately made it known that his show will be nothing like the one his legendary predecessor hosted.
It had become quite clear that Letterman overstayed his welcome by at least an extra five years by the time he retired. Instead of actually trying to be funny, most of his “humor” had become based around the fact that he was a crotchety, philandering and bitter old man. Needless to say, most people weren’t very amused by the once game-changing host anymore.
Enter Colbert, who burst on screen with the excitable energy of a teen who just got their driver’s license, and we’ve got an engaging new player within the late night lineup. His quick wit, wide range of expressions and penchant for topical humor is exactly what the “Late Show” needed after the Letterman regime.
Honestly, the whole program felt like an hour-long edition of “The Colbert Report,” as the humor is still pretty much the same as it was on that show. This was evident when Colbert spent some time sitting at his desk, which he claimed was carved out of a larger desk, and riffed on Donald Trump’s various escapades on the campaign trail.
His ability to point out the absurdity that surrounds politics is so razor-sharp, it’s as if he never took a nine month break off the air. The timing of his return was also perfect, as election season is starting to come into full swing. Just thinking about watching it go by without a dose of Colbert “truthiness” feels unnatural.
But the main draw of the new “Late Show” would have to be the fact that Colbert genuinely appears to be having fun, and the fun he’s having is beyond infectious. With the help of Jon Batiste, his talented bandleader, Colbert looks as if he’s hosting a party rather than a late night talk show.
The party may have just gotten started, but it will be exciting to see how much more fun it can get from here.
